Plan Cloud Sync Topologies
In brief
The documentation now states that cloud-synced groups can contain only on-premises synchronized users and additional cloud-created security groups, and that all users must have `onPremisesObjectIdentifier`. The example link and diagram descriptions were also updated.
What Entra admins need to know
Review group provisioning designs against the newly documented membership requirements.
This editorial summary was generated by AI from the documentation changes. Verify important details in the full Microsoft Learn article.
Documentation change
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Multi-forest, single Microsoft Entra tenant

Multiple AD forests are a common topology, with one or multiple domains, and a single Microsoft Entra tenant.
Piloting Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync in an existing hybrid AD forest
The piloting scenario involves the existence of both Microsoft Entra Connect and Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync in the same forest and scoping the users and groups accordingly. NOTE: An object should be in scope in only one of the tools.
(Public Preview)
In this scenario, the attributes of a user are contributed to by two disconnected Active Directory forests.
:::image type="content" source="media/plan-cloud-provisioning-topologies/single-forest-group-writeback.png" alt-text="Conceptual diagram of single forest writeback." lightbox="media/plan-cloud-provisioning-topologies/single-forest-group-writeback.png":::
The simplest group provisioning topology is a single on-premises forest, with one or multiple domains, and a single Microsoft Entra tenant. For an example of this scenario,scenario see Provision users and groups from Microsoft Entra ID to Active Directory.Provision groups to Active Directory
Multi-forest group provisioning to Active Directory
This configuration is advanced and there are a few things to remember with this topology:
Group membershipGroups provisioned to ADincludesusing cloud sync can onlymembers that have an AD account. Those members can becontain on-premises synchronizedusers, cloud-managedusersthat Cloud Sync provisions to AD because they're in scope of user provisioning,and / orotheradditional cloud created security groups.On-premises synchronizedAll of these users must have the onPremisesObjectIdentifier attribute set on their account.- The onPremisesObjectIdentifier must match a corresponding objectGUID in the target AD environment.
- An on-premises users objectGUID attribute to a cloud users onPremisesObjectIdentifier attribute can be synchronized using either Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync (1.1.1370.0) or Microsoft Entra Connect Sync (2.2.8.0)
- Inside your tenant you may share a common group that contains users from both forests.
@@ -35,7 +35,7 @@ The simplest topology is a single on-premises forest, with one or multiple domai ### Multi-forest, single Microsoft Entra tenant-+ Multiple AD forests are a common topology, with one or multiple domains, and a single Microsoft Entra tenant. @@ -50,7 +50,7 @@ This scenario topology is similar to the multi-forest scenario. However, this on ### Piloting Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync in an existing hybrid AD forest -+ The piloting scenario involves the existence of both Microsoft Entra Connect and Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync in the same forest and scoping the users and groups accordingly. NOTE: An object should be in scope in only one of the tools. @@ -60,7 +60,7 @@ For an example of this scenario see [Tutorial: Pilot Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync #### (Public Preview) -+ In this scenario, the attributes of a user are contributed to by two disconnected Active Directory forests. @@ -89,7 +89,7 @@ The following topologies are supported for provisioning from Microsoft Entra ID :::image type="content" source="media/plan-cloud-provisioning-topologies/single-forest-group-writeback.png" alt-text="Conceptual diagram of single forest writeback." lightbox="media/plan-cloud-provisioning-topologies/single-forest-group-writeback.png"::: - The simplest group provisioning topology is a single on-premises forest, with one or multiple domains, and a single Microsoft Entra tenant. For an example of this scenario, see [Provision users and groups from Microsoft Entra ID to Active Directory](how-to-configure-entra-to-active-directory.md).+ The simplest group provisioning topology is a single on-premises forest, with one or multiple domains, and a single Microsoft Entra tenant. For an example of this scenario see [Provision groups to Active Directory](tutorial-group-provisioning.md) ### Multi-forest group provisioning to Active Directory @@ -99,8 +99,8 @@ The following topologies are supported for provisioning from Microsoft Entra ID This configuration is advanced and there are a few things to remember with this topology: - - Group membership provisioned to AD includes only members that have an AD account. Those members can be on-premises synchronized users, cloud-managed users that Cloud Sync provisions to AD because they're in scope of user provisioning, or other cloud created security groups.- - On-premises synchronized users must have the onPremisesObjectIdentifier attribute set on their account.+ - Groups provisioned to AD using cloud sync can only contain on-premises synchronized users and / or additional cloud created security groups.+ - All of these users must have the onPremisesObjectIdentifier attribute set on their account. - The onPremisesObjectIdentifier must match a corresponding objectGUID in the target AD environment. - An on-premises users objectGUID attribute to a cloud users onPremisesObjectIdentifier attribute can be synchronized using either Microsoft Entra Cloud Sync ([1.1.1370.0](../cloud-sync/reference-version-history.md#1113700)) or Microsoft Entra Connect Sync ([2.2.8.0](../connect/reference-connect-version-history.md#2280)) - Inside your tenant you may share a common group that contains users from both forests. 